BOULDER – Colorado quarterback Brent Burnette, a fourth-year junior who did not see any game action last fall, has decided to graduate this spring and will not use his final year of eligibility, CU announced Thursday.

Burnette transferred to CU from Western Arizona junior college after having spent his first two years at Division I Middle Tennessee.

That anticipated quarterback battle during Colorado spring drills between sophomore-to-be Nick Hirschman and sophomore transfer Connor Wood is on hold.

According Colorado’s current injury report, Hirschman required off-season surgery to correct an ankle injury that had bothered him since August camp. He is listed as “questionable” for spring drills, which begin March 10.

The injury report stated that it is too early to determine whether Hirschman will be available for the spring session. The spring game is scheduled for April 14.

BOULDER — While waiting for interviews at Colorado’s Dal Ward Center, I’ve had a couple of short chats with quarterback Connor Wood, the transfer from Texas. He is impressive.

The Houston native and former national blue-chipper looks the part at 6-feet-4 and 220 pounds, with broad shoulders and a strong build.

But what really stands out is his likeable personality. Wood is confident, but not cocky. He gives the impression that he will do whatever it takes to complete the task at hand. He’s polite, personable and outgoing, but not pushy. If you could draw up a personality for a quarterback, this might be it.

And, less than three weeks after arriving in Boulder, Wood already seems to have fit in comfortably.

Wood doesn’t even have a thick Texas twang.

“I love it here,” he told me.

CU practices are closed, but reports are that Wood has turned heads while working on the scout team. He must sit out this season as a transfer and then will have three years of eligibility at CU, beginning in 2012 as a third-year sophomore.

Wood certainly sounded like a Coloradan when he said he can’t wait to go fly fishing for trout on some mountain stream, when he gets some free time, that is.

Colorado’s quarterback competition next spring could become as heated as it has been here in years. Wood will be battling sophomore-to-be Nick Hirschman and perhaps incoming freshman Shane Dillon, a highly regarded high school senior in the San Diego area who has given an oral commitment to sign with CU in February.

The Buffs also have three other quarterbacks: current freshmen John Schrock and Stevie Joe Dorman, and Brent Burnette, a junior-college transfer.

Schrock, a walk-on from suburban Kansas City, beat out the two scholarship players during August camp and is listed as CU’s No. 3 quarterback this season, behind starter Tyler Hansen and Hirschman.

BOULDER — Colorado freshman quarterback John Schrock, a walk-on from suburban Kansas City, likely would have received offers from FBS (formerly Division I-A) schools had his high school program showcased his passing skills, CU coach Jon Embree said.

“We were lucky to get him,” Embree said.

Embree said Saturday after the first scrimmage of August camp that “it’s safe to say” that Schrock, 6-feet-5 and 215 pounds, has distanced himself in the battle for No. 3 quarterback, ahead of scholarship players Brent Burnette and Stevie Joe Dorman.

One of the most interesting story lines in recruiting season last winter came when Colorado landed QB Stevie Joe Dorman, nephew of ex-Buff Koy Detmer and BYU Heisman winner Ty Detmer.

Dorman appears headed for a redshirt year, not a big surprise. With back-up Nick Hirschman out temporarily with an injury there were some snaps in practice available for Dorman and true freshman walk-on John Schrock.

COACH JON EMBREE SAYS: “Brent is a great fit for us. He already has played some (major-college) football (at Middle Tennessee State). He has that quiet confidence about him. He walks into a room like, ‘I’m the guy.’’’

WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Burnette led Maryville (Tenn.) High School to a 60-0 record and four state championships. His 6,408 career passing yards ranks fifth all-time among prep players in Tennessee.

MY TAKE: Coaches do not sign junior college players to sit so I suspect that the Buffs staff believes Burnett will make a strong challenge to take away the starting job from incumbent senior Tyler Hansen. He’s certainly been a winner, including leading Arizona Western to a 10-2 record last fall. Burnett already is enrolled in CU classes and will participate in spring ball. That’s huge. Even if he does not beat out Hansen, CU desperately needed an experienced back-up.

According to Rivals.com, Colorado has landed a junior-college quarterback: Brent Burnette of Arizona Western Community College.

A 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, Burnette began his career at Middle Tennessee State of the Sun Belt Conference. He will have two seasons of eligibility at Colorado and will enroll next week, thus being able to participate in spring practice.

The Tennessee native threw for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns with six interceptions in eight games for Arizona Western last fall before suffering a season-ending rib injury.

“(Colorado) is going to implement a pro-style offense and that is exactly the type of offense I want to play in,” Burnette told Rivals.com.

According to the recruiting-based website, Burnette was also recruited by teams in the Big East, Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.